Maureen O'Sullivan (Dublin Central, Independent)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

266. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the regulations in place in relation to rodent control as there are concerns that bags of rodent poison are causing the deaths of birds. [5482/15]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

The regulation in place in relation to placing rodenticides used for the control of rodents on the Irish market is ‘Regulation (EU) No 528/2012 of the European Parliament and the Council of 22 May 2012 concerning the making available on the market and use of biocidal products as amended’. This is transposed into Irish law through Statutory Instrument S.I. No., 427 of 2013 as amended.

Biocidal products, including rodenticides used for the control of rodents, are evaluated and authorised for placing on the market under Regulation 528/2012 as amended and S.I. No. 427 of 2013 as amended. This regulatory system is designed to ensure a very high level of protection for man, animals and the environment. The evaluation examines the risks to the environment, humans and animals and only approves products that can be used safely without any unacceptable risks to man or the environment . It also applies risk mitigation measures to the products to further reduce these risks.

In the case of rodenticides, my Department is the Irish Competent Authority for biocides and has placed restrictions on pack sizes available for purchase by amateur users. The product labels also instruct users to collect dead rodent bodies and unused bait and safely dispose of these.

A group called the ‘Campaign for Responsible Rodenticide Use – CRRU Ireland’, which involves companies engaged in the rodenticide industry and relevant state agencies, including my Department and the National Parks and Wildlife Service , has been established to promote best practice and responsible rodent control thereby enhancing the process of protecting wildlife from rodenticide exposure. Among the activities that CRRU Ireland is engaged in is the organisation and delivery of “Wildlife Aware” training courses, and associated accreditation scheme, for professional pest control technicians and other competent users of rodenticides. A series of courses were held in 2014 and a further series of courses have been arranged for 2015.